No. 7 Duke surges late to hold off Syracuse 88-79 in ACC

Associated PressMar 10, 2022, 8:50 PM EST

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK — Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim shook hands as they usually do after the two Hall of Fame coaches faced off on the court for the last time Thursday.

There was no need for the friends to say some kind of special good-bye. They know they’ll keep in touch and cross paths again.

Coach K is retiring after this, his 42nd season at Duke. Boeheim says he’s coming back for a 47th season at Syracuse

“I don’t like to play against him, but we’ll have dinner together,” Boeheim said after the Blue Devils eliminated the Orange from the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament with an 88-79 quarterfinal victory.

Playing without suspended star Buddy Boeheim, ninth-seeded Syracuse took a one-point lead with 3:32 left in the second half, but top-seeded Duke closed with 10-0 run.

“We got the game we expected,” Krzyzewski said.

Wendell Moore Jr. scored 26 points and Jeremy Roach had 16 in the second half for the Blue Devils (27-5), who advanced to Friday’s semifinals at Barclays Center against the winner of Miami-Boston College.

Coming off a jarring loss to end the regular season against North Carolina in Coach K’s Cameron send-off, Duke looked like a team still trying to find its March form.

Duke forward Mark Williams said he couldn’t bear the thought of another surprising loss spoiling this leg of Krzyzewski’s farewell tour.

“We had to learn from that game, but at the same time we had to move on,” said Williams, who scored 15 points. “Can’t be playing mind games with yourself: `What if this happens? What if that happens?’ ”

The Blue Devils couldn’t shake the Orange until a closing kick that came after Jimmy Boeheim’s tip-in put Syracuse up 79-78.

Freshman Paolo Banchero made a tough shot in the lane with 2:13 left to put Duke up 82-79. Moore found Roach for an open 3 about a minute later and Williams’ breakaway dunk made the lead eight with 48 second left.

“Wendell really led us down the stretch,” Krzyzewski said. “Jeremy had a sensational game.”

The loss leaves Syracuse (16-17) with a losing record. With the NCAA Tournament out of the question and the NIT highly unlikely, the Orange are looking at their first sub-.500 season under the 77-year-old Jim Boeheim.

“I thought we played with a tremendous purpose today,” Jim Boeheim said.

Playing without ACC leading scorer Buddy Boeheim, Syracuse got a lift from big brother Jimmy Boeheim, who scored a season-high 28 points and was 6 for 9 from 3.

“I was playing for this kid today,” Jimmy said, sitting next to Buddy during a postgame news conference with their dad. “I wanted to do everything I could to get him one more game.”

Buddy Boeheim was suspended for the game by the conference for a “flagrant act” after he punched Florida State’s Wyatt Wilkes in the stomach during the Orange’s second-round victory Wednesday.

“Sitting on that bench I couldn’t be prouder watching my big bro doing his thing,” Buddy Boeheim said.

Buddy Boeheim stood under the basket in a blue warmup suit while his teammates shot around pregame, occasionally grabbing a rebound. Relegated to the bench, he took a spot toward the end, just before the walk-ons but was often the first to greet his teammates coming off the floor.

The Orange lost two games to Duke during the regular season with Buddy Boeheim by a combined 45 points. Syracuse didn’t seem to have much of a chance without him.

Joe Girard, who came in averaging 13.5 per game, did his best “Buddy Buckets” impersonation in the first half. He scored 18, including a corner 3 at the buzzer. The junior guard ran off the floor waving on the Syracuse fans to bring the noise, with the Orange leading 40-36.

Syracuse upped the lead to seven early in the second half, but Duke started getting the ball inside and a fourth foul on Cole Swider with 15:00 to go left the Orange struggling to finish the upset.

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Syracuse: Buddy Boeheim apologized again, several times, for striking Wilkes and struggled to hold back tears as he spoke about watching his college career come to an end.

“Been thinking about the play the last 24 hours,” Buddy Boeheim said. “I don’t think I’ve thrown a punch in my life. I never meant to intentionally hurt him.”

Jim Boeheim criticized the decision to suspend his son, saying if the incident was handled properly during Wednesday’s game by the officials, at worst Buddy Boeheim would have been ejected and eligible to play against Duke.

But because there was no video review of the play during the Florida State game, it cost Buddy Boeheim the Duke game.

“That makes no common sense to me,” Jim Boeheim said.

Krzyzewski stopped short of criticizing the ACC’s decision, but did say: “I wish what happened (Wednesday) was adjudicated during the game.”

Duke: The Blue Devils have won seven straight meetings against Syracuse.

The 75-year-old Krzyzewski called Boeheim, who he spent more than a decade working with on USA Basketball, his best friend in coaching.

“There’s nobody except a former player who I cheer for more,” Krzyzewski said about Boeheim. “His team did him proud.”

Duke is 13-5 in matchups between Krzyzewski and Boeheim.

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Duke lost at home to Miami in January and beat Boston College on the road this season.

Biden celebrates LSU women’s and UConn men’s basketball teams at separate White House events

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 11:56 PM EDT

Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK

WASHINGTON – All of the past drama and sore feelings associated with Louisiana State’s invitation to the White House were seemingly forgotten or set aside Friday as President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed the championship women’s basketball team to the mansion with smiles, hugs and lavish praise all around.

The visit had once appeared in jeopardy after Jill Biden suggested that the losing Iowa team be invited, too. But none of that was mentioned as both Bidens heralded the players for their performance and the way they have helped advance women’s sports.

“Folks, we witnessed history,” the president said. “In this team, we saw hope, we saw pride and we saw purpose. It matters.”

The ceremony was halted for about 10 minutes after forward Sa’Myah Smith appeared to collapse as she and her teammates stood behind Biden. A wheelchair was brought in and coach Kim Mulkey assured the audience that Smith was fine.

LSU said in a statement that Smith felt overheated, nauseous and thought she might faint. She was evaluated by LSU and White House medical staff and was later able to rejoin the team. “She is feeling well, in good spirits, and will undergo further evaluation once back in Baton Rouge,” the LSU statement said.

Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, Biden said, more than half of all college students are women, and there are now 10 times more female athletes in college and high school. He said most sports stories are still about men, and that that needs to change.

Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs and activities.

“Folks, we need to support women sports, not just during the championship run but during the entire year,” President Biden said.

After the Tigers beat Iowa for the NCAA title in April in a game the first lady attended, she caused an uproar by suggesting that the Hawkeyes also come to the White House.

LSU star Angel Reese called the idea “A JOKE” and said she would prefer to visit with former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, instead. The LSU team largely is Black, while Iowa’s top player, Caitlin Clark, is white, as are most of her teammates.

Nothing came of Jill Biden’s idea and the White House only invited the Tigers. Reese ultimately said she would not skip the White House visit. She and co-captain Emily Ward presented team jerseys bearing the number “46” to Biden and the first lady. Hugs were exchanged.

Jill Biden also lavished praise on the team, saying the players showed “what it means to be a champion.”

“In this room, I see the absolute best of the best,” she said, adding that watching them play was “pure magic.”

“Every basket was pure joy and I kept thinking about how far women’s sports have come,” the first lady added, noting that she grew up before Title IX was passed. “We’ve made so much progress and we still have so much more work to do.”

The president added that “the way in which women’s sports has come along is just incredible. It’s really neat to see, since I’ve got four granddaughters.”

After Smith was helped to a wheelchair, Mulkey told the audience the player was OK.

“As you can see, we leave our mark where we go,” Mulkey joked. “Sa’Myah is fine. She’s kind of, right now, embarrassed.”

A few members of Congress and Biden aides past and present with Louisiana roots dropped what they were doing to attend the East Room event, including White House budget director Shalanda Young. Young is in the thick of negotiations with House Republicans to reach a deal by the middle of next week to stave off what would be a globally calamitous U.S. financial default if the U.S. can no longer borrow the money it needs to pay its bills.

The president, who wore a necktie in the shade of LSU’s purple, said Young, who grew up in Baton Rouge, told him, “I’m leaving the talks to be here.” Rep. Garret Graves, one of the House GOP negotiators, also attended.

Biden closed sports Friday by changing to a blue tie and welcoming the UConn’s men’s championship team for its own celebration. The Huskies won their fifth national title by defeating San Diego State, 76-59, in April.

“Congratulations to the whole UConn nation,” he said.

Marquette’s Prosper says he will stay in draft rather than returning to school

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 7:08 PM EDT

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

MILWAUKEE — Olivier-Maxence Prosper announced he is keeping his name under NBA draft consideration rather than returning to Marquette.

The 6-foot-8 forward announced his decision.

“Thank you Marquette nation, my coaches, my teammates and support staff for embracing me from day one,” Prosper said in an Instagram post. “My time at Marquette has been incredible. With that being said, I will remain in the 2023 NBA Draft. I’m excited for what comes next. On to the next chapter…”

Prosper had announced last month he was entering the draft. He still could have returned to school and maintained his college eligibility by withdrawing from the draft by May 31. Prosper’s announcement indicates he instead is going ahead with his plans to turn pro.

Prosper averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds last season while helping Marquette go 29-7 and win the Big East’s regular-season and tournament titles. Marquette’s season ended with a 69-60 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

He played two seasons at Marquette after transferring from Clemson, where he spent one season.

Kansas’ Kevin McCullar Jr. returning for last season of eligibility

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:18 PM EDT

Jeffrey Becker/USA TODAY Sports

Kevin McCullar Jr. said that he will return to Kansas for his final year of eligibility, likely rounding out a roster that could make the Jayhawks the preseason No. 1 next season.

McCullar transferred from Texas Tech to Kansas for last season, when he started 33 of 34 games and averaged 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds. He was also among the nation’s leaders in steals, and along with being selected to the Big 12’s all-defensive team, the 6-foot-6 forward was a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.

“To be able to play in front of the best fans in the country; to play for the best coach in the nation, I truly believe we have the pieces to hang another banner in the Phog,” McCullar said in announcing his return.

Along with McCullar, the Jayhawks return starters Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams from a team that went 28–8, won the Big 12 regular-season title and was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where it lost to Arkansas in the second round.

Perhaps more importantly, the Jayhawks landed Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson, widely considered the best player in the portal, to anchor a lineup that was missing a true big man. They also grabbed former five-star prospect Arterio Morris, who left Texas, and Towson’s Nick Timberlake, who emerged last season as one of the best 3-point shooters in the country.

The Jayhawks also have an elite recruiting class arriving that is headlined by five-star recruit Elmarko Jackson.

McCullar declared for the draft but, after getting feedback from scouts, decided to return. He was a redshirt senior last season, but he has another year of eligibility because part of his career was played during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a big day for Kansas basketball,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “Kevin is not only a terrific player but a terrific teammate. He fit in so well in year one and we’re excited about what he’ll do with our program from a leadership standpoint.”

Clemson leading scorer Hall withdraws from NBA draft, returns to Tigers

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:15 PM EDT

Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson leading scorer PJ Hall is returning to college after withdrawing from the NBA draft on Thursday.

The 6-foot-10 forward took part in the NBA combine and posted his decision to put off the pros on social media.

Hall led the Tigers with 15.3 points per game this past season. He also led the Tigers with 37 blocks, along with 5.7 rebounds. Hall helped Clemson finish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference while posting a program-record 14 league wins.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell said Hall gained experience from going through the NBA’s combine that will help the team next season. “I’m counting on him and others to help lead a very talented group,” he said.

Hall was named to the all-ACC third team last season as the Tigers went 23-10.

George Washington adopts new name ‘Revolutionaries’ to replace ‘Colonials’

Associated PressMay 24, 2023, 7:12 PM EDT

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WASHINGTON — George Washington University’s sports teams will now be known as the Revolutionaries, the school announced.

Revolutionaries replaces Colonials, which had been GW’s name since 1926. Officials made the decision last year to drop the old name after determining it no longer unified the community.

GW said 8,000 different names were suggested and 47,000 points of feedback made during the 12-month process. Revolutionaries won out over the other final choices of Ambassadors, Blue Fog and Sentinels.

“I am very grateful for the active engagement of our community throughout the development of the new moniker,” president Mark S. Wrighton said. “This process was truly driven by our students, faculty, staff and alumni, and the result is a moniker that broadly reflects our community – and our distinguished and distinguishable GW spirit.”

George the mascot will stay and a new logo developed soon for the Revolutionaries name that takes effect for the 2023-24 school year. The university is part of the Atlantic 10 Conference.